10 Best Weighted Donkey Calf Raise Alternatives for Limited Gear

The Weighted Donkey Calf Raise is done standing. Ranked closest by our scoring: the Calf Raise On A Dumbbell, the Dumbbell Standing Calf Raise and the Rocking Standing Calf Raise.

Weighted Donkey Calf RaiseWatch the Weighted Donkey Calf Raise

Each substitute is scored on movement pattern, muscles worked, equipment and body position. Read how we rank alternatives

How to Do the Weighted Donkey Calf Raise

The steps for the Weighted Donkey Calf Raise itself, so you can judge how close each substitute below really is.

Calves, with hamstrings, glutes · Weighted · Intermediate · Isolation

  1. Stand on a raised platform with your toes on the edge and your heels hanging off.
  2. Hold onto a stable object for support.
  3. Raise your heels as high as possible by extending your ankles.
  4. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your heels back down to the starting position.
  5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

The 10 Best Weighted Donkey Calf Raise Alternatives

10 substitutes, ranked by how closely each one matches the Weighted Donkey Calf Raise on movement pattern, muscles worked, equipment and body position. The higher the score, the less you change. Cards with a "How to perform it" link open to show the steps; every card title links to that exercise's own alternatives page.

Each link re-ranks the list below for the kit it names. Pick one to hide the substitutes you cannot set up.

  1. Calf Raise On A Dumbbell

    1. Calf Raise On A Dumbbell

    99% match

    Calves · Beginner · Isolation

    Pick this when you want an easier version that still works the calves.

    • Dumbbell
    How to perform it
    1. Hang on to a sturdy object for balance and stand on a dumbbell handle, preferably one with round plates so that it rolls as in this manner you have to work harder to stabilize yourself; thus increasing the effectiveness of the exercise.
    2. Now roll your foot slightly forward so that you can get a nice stretch of the calf. This will be your starting position.
    3. Lift the calf as you roll your foot over the top of the handle so that you get a full extension. Exhale during the execution of this movement. Contract the calf hard at the top and hold for a second. Tip: As you come up, roll the dumbbell slightly backward.
    4. Now inhale as you roll the dumbbell slightly forward as you come down to get a better stretch.
    5. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 sets of 10 to 15 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: calves, the same as the Weighted Donkey Calf Raise
    • Equipment: free weights, the same as the Weighted Donkey Calf Raise
    • Body position: standing, the same as the Weighted Donkey Calf Raise

Weighted Donkey Calf Raise FAQ

What muscles does Weighted Donkey Calf Raise work?

The exercise primarily loads the gastrocnemius and the soleus via ankle plantarflexion, with higher gastrocnemius activation when the knee is extended. Cue a full plantarflexion contraction and control the eccentric to maximize gastrocnemius and soleus tension.

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